The present invention relates to a hospital bed. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hospital bed including a patient support surface and siderails movable relative to the patient support surface.
Hospital bed and other patient supports are known. Typically, such patient supports are used to provide a support surface for patients or other individuals for treatment, recuperation, or rest. Many such patient supports include a frame, a deck supported by the frame, a mattress, siderails configured to block egress of a patient from the mattress, and a controller configured to control one or more features of the bed.
In an illustrative embodiment of the invention, a patient support includes a frame, a mattress supported by the frame, and a siderail supported by the frame. The siderail includes a rail member, a linkage configured to permit vertical movement of the rail member between a raised position and a lowered position, and a latching mechanism configured to retain the rail member in at least one of the raised position and the lowered position.
Illustratively, the latching mechanism includes a rocker arm having first and second ends movable about a pivot axis, a handle member coupled proximate the first end of the rocker arm, and a latch member coupled proximate the second end of the rocker arm. The handle member is configured to pivot the rocker arm about the pivot axis such that the rocker arm moves the latch member between a latched position which prevents vertical movement of the rail member and an unlatched position which permits vertical movement of the rail member.
In an further illustrative embodiment, a patient support includes a frame, a mattress supported by the frame, and a siderail supported by the frame. The siderail includes a rail member and a linkage configured to permit vertical movement of the rail member, and a latch member configured to move between a latched position and an unlatched position. The latch member in the unlatched position permits vertical movement of the rail member and the latch member in the latch position retains the rail member in a vertical position. A latch position indicator is operably coupled to the latch member and is configured to provide an indication of the latch member being in the unlatched position.
In another illustrative embodiment, a patient support includes a frame, a mattress supported by the frame, and a siderail supported by the frame. The siderail includes a rail member, a linkage configured to permit vertical movement of the rail member, and a latch member having a latched position and an unlatched position, the latch member in the latched position being configured to prevent vertical movement of the rail member. The patient support further includes means for providing an indication that the latch member is in at least one of the latched and the unlatched positions.
In yet another illustrative embodiment, a method of indicating an unlatched position of a siderail is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a frame, providing a mattress supported by the frame, and providing a siderail supported by the frame. The siderail includes a rail member, a linkage configured to permit vertical movement of the rail member between a raised position and a lowered position, and a latch member including a latched position and an unlatched position, the latch member in the latched position being configured to prevent vertical movement of the rail member. The method further comprises the steps of lifting the rail member to the raised position, and providing a visual indication of whether the latch is in the latched position.
In a further illustrative embodiment, a patient support includes a frame, a patient support surface supported by the frame, a first component coupled to the frame, and a second component operably coupled to the first component and configured to move relative to the first component between a first position and a second position. A position indicator is coupled to the second component and is movable between a first position and a second position, the position indicator including a body having an indicating surface. The housing is configured to receive the position indicator, wherein the indicating surface of the position indicator is not visible from outside the housing when the position indicator is in the first position and the indication surface of the position indicator is visible outside the housing when the position indicator is in the second position.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the presently perceived best mode of carrying out the invention.